Oh Mother

Album: Back to Basics (2006)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song salutes the courage of Aguilera's mother, who when Christina was 8 years old divorced her Army sergeant husband after years of alleged physical and emotional abuse. According to the lyric, "It was the day he turned on the kids that she knew she had to leave him."
  • This is not the first time Christina has referred to the abuse she and her mother went through. "I'm OK" from her 2002 album Stripped also is about the same traumatic experiences.
  • Christina Aguilera told USA Weekend magazine August 6, 2006 how it's therapeutic for her to talk about her childhood: "It gives me a reason to understand why I went through what I did and why I was given this gift to share my voice and words with the world. There's so much more I want to do. It happens to so many people. My father was a sergeant in the Army, so we lived on Army bases when I was little, and it was happening a lot. The MPs would come, but a lot of them were doing the same things [to their wives and kids]. I was surrounded with domestic violence, not only in my home but my friends."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?